ACLJ Wins Victory on Behalf of Student Silenced by Anti-Trump Teacher

The ACLJ has won a major victory on behalf of a courageous high school student whose constitutional rights were systematically violated. After we sent our demand letter, the school district in question took action to end a teacher’s aggressive political commentary in the classroom, in which she spent up to one-third of the 90-minute class sharing her personal political views attacking President Trump.

This teacher also engaged in a deeply troubling pattern of viewpoint discrimination that strikes at the core of First Amendment protections. She used her classroom as a political forum for discussion but then shut down our client, a Christian student with conservative beliefs, whenever she disagreed with the teacher and supported President Trump. The classroom became a forum where students who agreed with the teacher’s political views were encouraged to speak, while those with conservative perspectives were systematically suppressed. The teacher went beyond merely sharing opinions into creating an environment of intimidation that prevented students from expressing alternative viewpoints. Her political discussions included extreme claims, for example, about President Trump establishing “concentration camps” for African Americans, while spending less time on actual course material.

We were prepared to file a lawsuit in federal court on the student’s behalf to ensure that this conduct stopped. We are pleased that our legal demand letter got the attention of the district before the deadline we provided. It responded and resolved this situation to our client’s satisfaction.

The school district conducted an internal investigation following our demand letter and interviewed the teacher. In its response, the district communicated its commitment to “comply with the requirements of the First Amendment and District policy.” Most importantly, our client confirmed that her teacher’s inappropriate conduct has stopped, thanks to our demand letter.

By holding educational institutions accountable, we continue to safeguard students’ fundamental rights to free expression. While the district’s response indicates a willingness to address our concerns, the ACLJ remains vigilant in monitoring the implementation of these commitments. If this conduct ever resumes, we stand ready.

This legal action represents more than just a single student’s struggle – it is a critical battle for the fundamental right to free speech in America’s educational institutions. The ACLJ stands firm in its commitment to protecting students’ constitutional liberties, ensuring that classrooms remain spaces of open dialogue and intellectual freedom, not platforms for political indoctrination. Our success sends a powerful message: Constitutional rights are not negotiable, and we will fight tirelessly to defend them.